I love to learn!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/feed.xml2017-12-30T10:10:05.517000ZWerkzeugWant to get smart? Take breaks. Time your breaks!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/want-to-get-smart-take-breaks-time-your-breaks2017-12-30T10:10:05.517000Z2017-12-30T04:41:32ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>You are working on a project. You put in an hour of great work. You decide you have earned a break. So you take a little chill pill. Before you know it, an hour has passed by. Now it is lunch time. By the time you drag yourself back to work, the steam has run out. Has this ever happened to you?</div>
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<div>Breaks are necessary. My father keeps telling me I should have some periods during my day when I’m doing nothing at all. Emptiness allows the mind to rearrange and refresh itself. Neuroscientists are discovering that when we are not ‘focussing’ on something, and just relaxing, the level of brain activity does not slow down. It just shifts to a different neural circuitry called the ‘default mode network’. There is a lot is important stuff that actually happens during this time.</div>
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<div>Downtime allows our brains to run some important processes:</div>
<div>1. Replenishing our ability to focus and pay attention</div>
<div>2. Making sense of our actions and spurring insightful learning</div>
<div>3. Forming stable memories of our lives and increasing happiness</div>
<div>4. Creating connections between thoughts and triggering creativity</div>
<div>5. Rethinking priorities that might have been lost in the rush of activity</div>
<div>6. Reviewing our behavior with others thereby realigning our moral compass</div>
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<div>My best ideas and deepest insights have come when my mind is ‘on a break’ after a period of intense activity. During a shower, taking a walk, going for a drive, while running, or even just listening to some relaxing music. The problem happens when the breaks go on for too long! The usefulness of the break diminishes very rapidly. And then comes a point of no return. A break is needed from the break.</div>
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<div>What has been working for me is to use my phone timer to time my breaks. Usually, I keep them to 10 minutes or 30 minutes depending on the type of break. The result is that I feel less guilty about taking the breaks, I use the breaks better, and most importantly, I get back to work after the break!</div>
No such thing as ‘giving’http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/no-such-thing-as-giving2017-12-24T07:05:30.299000Z2017-12-24T06:44:55ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>She put her head on my shoulders and cried. She was afraid. Petrified of dogs, she had been surprised when one of the dogs at the farm had been let loose. The fear Inside her had been shaken up. It poured out with her tears. Her entire body trembled and shook. I held her and calmed her.</div>
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<div>Gently I spoke her. Once she had gathered herself I asked her about her fear. I asked her if she wanted to over come it. She’s a brave girl. For some reason she trusted me. She said yes. I told her that in order to rid herself off the fear, she must face it. Face fear it goes, avoid fear it grows. I called out to the dog ‘Jimmy’. I held her hand and placed it on the dog. She was afraid, but she did it. The fear melted away.</div>
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<div>I helped her. I made a difference in her life. Right?</div>
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<div>The truth is that she gave me an opportunity. She gave me a chance to feel purposeful, to connect, and to heal something within myself.</div>
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<div>I believe there is no such thing as giving. We always get much more than we give.</div>
7 lessons about networking I learned at a 15-year college reunionhttp://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/7-lessons-about-networking-i-learned-at-a-15-year-college-reunion2017-12-14T01:43:03.412000Z2017-12-11T18:16:25ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>Most of us had last seen each other 15 years ago, at our graduation ceremony. Yet, here we were, giving each other high fives and warm hugs while struggling to remember our names. For me, it was a mixed bag of emotions. There was excitement and happiness to meet some friends, yet there also was anxiety and apprehension. I expected the usual banter about jobs, designations, and million dollar bonus packages.</div>
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<div>But, 15 years is a long time. The race we are running seems to have changed. Haha, we MBA's are too competitive to not be running some race or the other! Yet, there was none of that usual banter. This was a new orbit. We were relaxed. We were just connecting with each other. We wanted to understand and explore.</div>
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<div>Here are some lessons I learned about connecting with people at the 15-year reunion of our batch at IIM Ahmedabad:</div>
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<div>1. Don’t judge people. Many of my good friends are people who I never once spoke to during the two years we studied together. We connected only after passing out.</div>
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<div>2. Have one to one conversations. Don’t just be in a group. Just reach out and say hi. Be yourself. Tell them your story. People open up if I open up.</div>
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<div>3. Don’t underestimate yourself. People don’t know what you have done and who you are. When you underestimate yourself, they will never know.</div>
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<div>4. Find a project. Even something as simple as moving some chairs around or creating a playlist for the party; doing something together is the best way to connect with people.</div>
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<div>5. Don’t assume what they are thinking. No one is thinking about you. In fact, they are wondering what you are thinking about them. Ask them what is on their mind these days.</div>
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<div>6. People want to do good. Find out what good they are already doing, and what good they want to do. We underestimate how much good there is in the world.</div>
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<div>7. Learn. Everyone has something to teach. Ask them. And then, listen. Everyone loves to give some ‘gyaan'!</div>
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<div>I’m feeling very glad and grateful to be connected to these wonderful people. Now, I want to go deeper and understand people better.</div>
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<div><img src="https://postachio-images.s3.amazonaws.com/ff639041-0b2b-4b6c-9d4d-fce6bc7c3212/012fff01-855c-45cf-9c01-45166caa342e/08a608b4-bf54-4c78-b717-8a1caf92cc5c.jpg" /><br/></div>
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Old friends are good for you.http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/old-friends-are-good-for-you2017-12-01T06:42:43.843000Z2017-12-01T01:22:25ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;">We were in the fourth year of mechanical engineering. A top software company of that time had come to hire graduates. They were giving a talk to the students. My friend Nipun says that I sat through the 45-minute session with my head down and my eyes closed. At the end of the talk, the nice gentleman asked if any of the students had questions. There was pin-drop silence. As students, we have been taught to answer questions, not ask questions. One solitary hand went up. It was mine. Apparently, I asked “Sir, you are a part of an IT company. We are all mechanical engineering students. What will we do in your company?" Seemed like a logical question. But, he seemed irritated. Firstly, someone had actually asked a question, and to top it, it was a logical question. He answered, “If you had kept your eyes open during the talk, you would have understood." Pat came my reply, “Sir, my eyes may have been closed, but my ears were wide open."</span></div>
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<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;">This was narrated to me by my friend</span><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(220, 230, 248); direction: ltr;">Nipun Girotra</span><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;">yesterday, as we met for lunch after quite a few years. Nipun then told everyone around the table, “Aditya has always been one to ask questions and think deeply about things". I felt my chest swelling up! Listening to this story about myself, made me believe in myself even more. It gave me insight into myself - that I am not afraid to ask questions. Now, I think I will have the courage to develop this quality further.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><br/></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;">Stories inspire. Stories about my own life, make me reflect on myself. I am grateful to have a friend like Nipun, who has the goodness to tell me a story that raises my self-belief. Thank you, Nipun. I will always remember your face as you narrated this story to me. It makes me want to do even more in my life.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; direction: ltr;"><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; direction: ltr;">Old friends are treasures. Nipun has taught me something very beautiful. I am going to be that kind of friend to my old friends. I will take opportunities to remind my old friends of their goodness. I will tell them stories that have the power to make them believe in themselves even more.</span></div>
Fresh Methi Cucumber Saladhttp://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/fresh-methi-cucumber-salad2017-11-26T16:23:10.599000Z2017-11-26T14:38:09ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>Methi is bitter. I never ate fresh Methi leaves ever before. My friend Dhiraj Pipada is pioneering a drive to bring fresh organic fruits and vegetables to the good people of Pune. I was amazed by the fresh crispness of the bunch of Methi leaves he held in his hand. Proudly he showed me the slightly reddish rim that his leaves have. Filled with iron, Vitamin C and Vitamin K, this little herb has many health benifits, including being anti diabetic. It also cools the body and aids in blood creation.</div>
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<div>But hey, it tastes good too! I found this interesting recipe and tweaked it around a bit to suit my taste. Amazingly all the bitterness of the Methi leaves was gone and we were left with a wonderful Indian tasting and super healthy salad!</div>
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<div>This is what I used</div>
<div>1 cup chopped organic Methi</div>
<div>2 cucumbers chopped in cubes</div>
<div>1 onion finely chopped</div>
<div>2 tbsp roasted and courses group peanuts</div>
<div>1/2 lemon juice</div>
<div>Sea salt</div>
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<div>For the tadka seasoning</div>
<div>1 tsp oil</div>
<div>1/2 tsp mustard seeds</div>
<div>Asafoetida</div>
<div>Kadipatta</div>
<div>1 green chilli</div>
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<div>Mix up the first group.</div>
<div>Prepare the tadka and add it to the mixture.</div>
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<div>Voila!</div>
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<div>#indiangreens</div>
<div>#backtotherootsfood</div>
<div>#ajskitchen</div>
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<div><img src="https://postachio-images.s3.amazonaws.com/ff639041-0b2b-4b6c-9d4d-fce6bc7c3212/770021ce-dff3-4fed-824d-cfdaf9af2bad/c64c61ed-fb04-4ea5-98b7-9052f99fa532.jpg" title="Attachment" width="3024"/><br/></div>
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I dont want to share you!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/i-dont-want-to-share-you2017-11-23T09:21:18.919000Z2017-11-22T11:44:05ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;">I made a new friend. She was like a breath of fresh air. We were like toast and butter, idli and chutney, sweet and sour. We just ‘got’ each other. It was so beautiful. Life was good. I felt strong. I felt like I could handle anything that life threw at me. I had a friend!</span></div>
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<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;">Then one day, my new friend met my old friend. My old friend is very charming. My new friend was charmed. I love both of them. I truly do. But, I wanted my new friend all for myself. My old friend already had many friends of her own. It didn’t seem fair. I want some friends of my own too. I don’t want to share everything!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><br/></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;">One side of me wants to separate them. But another side of me feels silly to want to cling on to someone like that. But then again, what if my new friend no longer a wants me as much as before?</span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><br/></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;">Hahaha, I’ve had this drama play out in my life more than a few times. I want some people to want me more than they want someone else.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; direction: ltr;">But here’s what I realise. No one belongs to anyone. We don’t even belong to ourselves. We all belong to something bigger than ourselves. Let's stop attempting to hold on to people and things. Holding on holds me back. Letting go allows me to take off and fly. I believe I can fly.</span></div>
Eyes that see “age no bar”!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/eyes-that-see-age-no-bar2017-11-16T02:38:59.171000Z2017-11-16T01:50:47ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>It was summer holidays after 10th. I was 17 and awkward like hell! My body felt like the ugliest thing on this planet. I hated the high pitch sound of my voice. I could never get the wave of my hair right. When I was with people of my age, I was constantly on high alert, wondering “What are they thinking about me? Am I cool enough?"<br/></div>
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<div>Then, one day he came home to meet my mother. He asked me what I’m doing. I asked him what he does. He said he is a carpenter. Seemed strange. I’d never met a carpenter who drove a red Lamborghini! I told him I have a set of tools and love making things every now and then. He invited me to his workshop. I went.</div>
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<div>I started spending hours at his workshop every day. I would just sit and watch. I would pick up some sandpaper and help the workers. I would ask him hundreds of questions. He would tell me his stories. He would tell me about the stupid mistakes he’s made in his life.</div>
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<div>He was a 6’3" tall, 55 year old Parsi gentleman, who has silver hair, and lived next door to his girlfriend’s apartment! They even had a connecting door between their living rooms. We became great friends. I could open up and be myself with him. </div>
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<div>Last evening I received this note from a dear young friend “You are the first older person who I feel is of my age... So it feels good to share things with you 🙂❤". She had made me smile. I closed my eyes and remembered my friend Adi Billimoria, who passed away when I was around 20. May God bless his soul!</div>
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<div>Adi (yep, my friends call me that too!), taught me to look at people with eyes of respect. He never made me feel I was younger. He treated me like an equal. He challenged me. He questioned me. At times, he even mocked me. But, he saw me as me, not as member of my age group. That made all the difference. He played an important role in making me who I am, because he gave me his “eyes of respect". Thank you, Adi!</div>
Want to get good at something? Do you have 'Sitzfleisch'?http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/want-to-get-good-at-something-do-you-have-sitzfleisch2017-11-09T06:41:10.986000Z2017-11-09T00:26:53ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>I am a restless soul. To put it another way, I am an active person. I need to keep doing something. Hmmm, ok, I admit, I get distracted easily! It’s genetic, I believe. I remember my mother telling me, “I wish I could sit in one place for hours and work."</div>
<div>Sitting in one place and staying put until work gets done has been touted as a virtue by ‘grown up people' all through my childhood. I had always looked at it with a healthy dose of skepticism. That’s for people who are not fast. Those people must not be very active and multi-talented people like me, my mind would tell myself.</div>
<div>I never thought about it too much, until I came across a German word that is dedicated to the matter. That’s right, they have a entire word for the ability to sit and work in one place for a long time.</div>
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<div>sitzfleisch</div>
<div>/zɪtsflʌɪʃ/ noun</div>
<div>a person's buttocks.</div>
<div>power to endure or to persevere in an activity; stamina.</div>
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<div>I loved it instantly. It literally means to sit on your buttocks until you get the job done! Nowadays we are constantly looking for shortcuts and easy ways. We have lost the ability to endure the boredom and pain that comes with almost any job.</div>
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<div>Public speaking? You got sitzfleisch?</div>
<div>Learning the guitar? You got sitzfleisch?</div>
<div>Taking part in a play? You got sitzfleisch?</div>
<div>Want to learn coding? You got sitzfleisch?</div>
<div>Want to get good at chess? You got sitzfleisch?</div>
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<div>In the words of my young friend Nisha, who is working along with another friend Dhruv on an animation project - “I’ve been watching myself and people around me. We don’t want to put hours into the work, even when we are excited about it. But this guy Dhruv has blown my mind off by not feeling shaken even after knowing the number of hours that need to go in. He just says ‘Sitzfleisch!’, and gets back to work!"</div>
<div>Albert Einstein said “It’s not that I am so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer." </div>
<div>Getting good at anything requires some brains, and lots of butt!</div>
<div>“Sitzfleisch". I’m getting back to writing one more piece!</div>
I can't face you!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/i-can-t-face-you2017-11-09T06:41:20.741000Z2017-11-01T03:15:59ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>I walked into the room and she had her head dug inside a pile of pillows. My wife and son were also there. It was a funny scene. I asked my wife what is Meisha doing? It seems she had told a lie, and had been caught red handed by her mother. She had been gently reprimanded. Now, she was embarrassed and was hiding her face! </div>
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<div>Wow! Even a four year old feels ashamed when they make a mistake! Meisha understood her mistake and found it difficult to face her mother. It was a very gentle reminder that it’s not good thing to tell a lie. I am amazed by the way our brain is wired to feel shame.</div>
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<div>I keep wondering why some of my young friends suddenly stop meeting me. They see me as a friendly mentor. When we meet, they end up taking some decisions - exercise, studies, relationships, career, or otherwise. They start. Probably things go well for a few weeks. Sometimes, the momentum breaks. Sometimes, they give up. Many times, they hesitate to come back and meet me. Some times, they completely vanish! Now I understand. It is difficult for me to face upto to people I love and respect, when I feel I have disappointed them. It is such a basic emotion, even a four year old feels it! </div>
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<div>But, I am no longer a four year old. I need to face it, move on, and learn from my mistakes. I need to face the consequences and get ready for the next step. In fact, four year olds do this really well. Within a few minutes, my daughter Meisha had dealt with her feeling of shame, and was back to her bouncy self. Seems like a like skill worth re-learning!</div>
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Let me make my mistakes!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/let-me-make-my-mistakes2017-10-27T16:31:38.792000Z2017-10-26T00:59:03ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div><span style="color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.12px; orphans: 2; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2;">This was a regular grouse I had with my father. As any father would, he wanted the best for me. Whenever he could see that I am about to make a mistake, he would jump in and want to help me. Young blood has its quirks. One would expect gratitude in for having helping someone prevent a mistake. Rather, my blood would boil. I didn’t want anyone to tell me what to do. I wanted to make my own mistakes and learn by myself.</span><br/></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><br/></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;">Now, I’m on the other side of the equation. I have am surrounded by many young college goers. Often, they look to me for advice. But, the moment I give it, most of them lose interest! They seem to agree with what they are hearing. It makes sense to them. But many times, it is not implemented. They don't do it.</span></div>
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<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;">I don't think its because they can’t or don't have the courage. Most of the times I believe it is because they lose the sense of ‘ownership’. It’s no longer ‘their’ solution.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><br/></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;">When do I seek and follow advice given to me by others? Here are three types of situations when I am open to advice.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><br/></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;">1 - I am desperate.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;">I have lost my confidence in my own ability to solve. I am prone to extreme levels of advice seeking. I will take any available advice, even wrong advice. I will often be flipping flopping between contradictory advice. I remain confused. Even after following the advice, I continue to doubt it.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><br/></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;">2 - I have complete trust.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;">Trust allows me to move beyond my own personal limitations. When I have the ‘right’ people in my life, there will certainly be speed in my life. I will give credit to them for the good that happens to me. But, I may also have the tendency to feel a tinge of ‘I did what they said’ when things go wrong.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><br/></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;">3 - I am deeply focused on results.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;">Here, there is no space for ‘my idea’ or ‘their idea’. The only question is ‘will it create the desired results?’ I seek help from those who have results. I don’t attempt to challenge them. I listen. I seek to understand, but I am open. There is trust, yet I take my own decisions. I make efforts to understand. I share credit for the good that happens, and take responsibility for what goes wrong.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><br/></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;">When none of the above conditions are in fulfilled, my mind resists seeking help. This happens especially when I have had some amount of success. Some things have worked out well. Yet, sometimes when I am not ambitious enough to fulfil the third condition. Thats when I say ‘don't show me, let me make my own mistakes’.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); direction: ltr;"><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-family: inherit; color: rgb(29, 33, 41); font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; direction: ltr;">I really don't need to insist on making my own mistakes to learn. I am ready to learn from the mistakes others have already made. Thats smart. And, when a mistake by me happens, I will certainly learn. What say? What is your mode of seeking help? What works for you?</span></div>
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Boring!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/boring2017-10-24T16:28:25.507000Z2017-10-05T05:26:32ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>A few months ago, in a workshop with about 60 dynamic college going youth, we asked them a question - ‘What is the most painful problem youth are facing today?’. Each group of six people had to discuss and identify their issue. They had to frame it in 5 words or less, and we wrote all the problems on a whiteboard. We asked the entire class to vote in order to find out the most prevalent issue. Guess what turned up with 90% votes - “How should I handle boredom?"<br/></div>
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<div>Boredom is a fate worse than the most rotten parts of hell. I experienced it really intensely for the first time during my first ever ‘proper' internship. I was in the third year of mechanical engineering studies. Our's was a specially created ‘sandwich’ course. During the third year, we had a 6 month long apprenticeship program. I was appointed at a company that manufactures specialised CNC gear hobbing machines. Very interesting stuff it was, for the first three days.</div>
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<div>After that, I swear there were moments when I could fall off to sleep standing on the shop floor, inspite of being surrounded by the high decibel sounds of machine clanking all around me. The issue was not that I was not interested. I was super interested. More than anyone else. I wanted to know all about those machines and how to operate them. The issue was that I did not have any task given to me. Nothing. I just had to hang around for 8 hours and ‘observe’. The thought of observing this way for 6 months was worse than the fear of death by drowning in boiling chocolate sauce.</div>
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<div>It got worse before I decided to something about it. But the day came when I decided to take charge of my own fate. I identified one particular milling machine, the operator of which was a friendly fellow. Every time the steel filings would accumulate, I offered to clean up the machine table. It was menial work. But, I did it with great enthusiasm. I cleaned his machine really well. He was amazed. Soon, the inevitable happened. He offered to teach me to operate the machine. That was it, I grabbed the opportunity, and I was in business!</div>
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<div>Over the next few weeks, I took more and more initiative and soon gained the confidence of the supervisors on that section of the tool room. They began to trust me with the machine, under supervision. By the end of four months, I became the only graduate trainee engineer, to be asked to travel to Chennai along with a team to install the machine at an actual customer site.</div>
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<div>‘Do'.</div>
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<div>Thats my answer to boredom. Sorry if it sounds a bit boring! But, thats the plain truth.</div>
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<div>That's how I have learnt most of the genuinely useful things I know in my life today. By being interested, asking many questions, and offering to help. Just plain simple ‘doing’. Things begin to roll own their own after that. I learnt coding this way. I learnt painting this way. I learnt cooking this way. I learnt how to connect with people half my age this way. I learnt to write this way. I even learnt to be a trainer this way! And, honestly, these are just about the only truly useful things I know how to do!</div>
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<div><img src="https://postachio-images.s3.amazonaws.com/ff639041-0b2b-4b6c-9d4d-fce6bc7c3212/f82847d8-68ea-4487-8364-c65dfce74e63/dfa26d95-d05a-43a1-add3-4763afe257ce.jpg" title="Attachment" width="4032"/><br/></div>
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3 steps today, a thousand tomorrow!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/my-one-year-pledge-of-daily-action2017-10-24T16:31:02.142000Z2017-10-04T17:38:30ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>For me, all it took was a few weeks of studies before the exams, and results would come. For her it was study round the year.</div>
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<div>I was doing ten different things at a time. She did one or two.</div>
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<div>My to do list had 15 points on it. She knew what needed to be done, and did it.</div>
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<div>I had many interests and changed my interests every few years. She had a few and stuck to them.</div>
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<div>We are very different. Too slow. Too boring. Too few. Stuff for slow coaches. That's what I thought when we were kids.</div>
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<div>Today I see things differently. My sister Palak is an inspiration. I have many gifts. But she developed in herself that one thing that makes a big difference. She is consistent. Once she takes up something, she keeps at it.</div>
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<div>It's not that I didn't want to be consistent. I so badly did. Every new school year began with the vigor of new resolutions of daily studies, fancy multi coloured time tables, the symbolic cleaning of the study desk, and all that. You can guess how long it lasted, so please don't make me spell it out!</div>
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<div>Today, I wish to learn from Palak. Everything she has taken up, she has done it thoroughly and consistently. Whether it was working hard to get 100% scholarship to study in the UK, or setting up finance and statutory process for a rapidly growing business that recently struck a major partnership with a global leader, or preparing herself emotionally and intellectually to be a mother of two amazing kids, Palak has excelled through sheer grit and courage.</div>
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<div>So today, on her birthday, I am taking up a one year challenge. For the next 365 days, every day, first thing in the morning I will publicly share my list of three important but non urgent, non routine tasks for the day. These will be actions which have the power to move me closer to my dreams. I will not go to bed until the three tasks are done. </div>
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<div>Just 3 important steps every day, will take me 1095 steps closer to my dreams in one year's time!</div>
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<div>Happy birthday Palak! And may you inspire a million more!</div>
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I like staring at my own creation!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/i-like-staring-at-my-creation2017-10-27T16:32:52.142000Z2017-09-26T04:16:42ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div><div>Dhyann is obsessed with Lego. He just completed a set of 2200 pieces gifted to him by my mother. He is just six, but the age recommendation on the box was age 16+. He was nervous. He told me several times "Papa, I told you we should not have bought this set. It's too tough for me." He kept asking for my help. But whenever I attempted helping him, I would find him resisting me. I backed off. I realised that he doesn't need me to do anything. What he really needs is just needs my presence and bits of my undistracted attention. In fact, me telling him what to do actually works negatively. It demotivates him.</div>
<div>I don't want anyone to help me by solving my problems. It makes me doubt myself. I just need my loved ones to listen to me, make an effort to understand me, not judge me, just be around me when I need, and sometimes challenge me. That increases my self belief like nothing else.</div>
<div>He finally completed the project. It was 99% his own effort. It is a two storeyed building, with a mens saloon, a pool parlour, a detectives office and a bakery. There are intricate details in the exteriors and interiors of the structure.</div>
<div>It was time for dinner. We called him to the table. He brought his masterpiece and kept it on the shelf in front of the table. I asked him why. He just replied "I like to stare at my creation."</div>
<div>I do too. I like browsing my own blog. I like flipping through my own drawings. I like being surrounded by all the books I have read. I like 'staring' at my own creations. They are my 'body of work’. I love seeing the photographs of all the yummy dishes I have cooked. My creations are the proof of my bits of my life that I have invested in these works. They make me feel good. They make me believe I'm worth it. They make me want to create more! I am going to keep building my 'body of work'.</div>
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5 steps to stop overthinking in relationshipshttp://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/5-steps-to-stop-overthinking-in-relationships2017-10-27T16:32:53.634000Z2017-09-22T01:49:26ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>I felt I needed to do something right there and then. I felt choked. The pressure was building up everyday. It was a struggle. I needed to leave.</div>
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<div>Some things weren't working out with someone who I am very close to. There was tremendous mutual respect, but some things were uncomfortable for me. I did not know how to approach them, and I wasn't being able to completely let go of it in my head.</div>
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<div>After some experiments I found that there are only five possible solutions when we find ourselves in an uncomfortable situation in a relationship:</div>
<div><br/></div><ol start="1"><li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Write down your feelings. Write down "I wish they would..." and "I wish they wouldn't". Analyse and boil it down to one or two things that really upset you. Writing down seems awkward but has always worked brilliantly for me.</span><br/></li><li>Accept what is acceptable, and then don't hold any grudges. Some things are a part of a persons nature, and very difficult to change. It makes sense to let go. But beware, if the acceptance is not complete, it strikes back with a vengeance.</li><li>Tell the other person how you feel and what is bothering you. I prefer to work through step 1 and 2 before getting here. Communicate gracefully and honestly. Plan what you wish to say, but speak from your heart. Allow emotion to flow if it has to. But, speak only with the intention of sharing how you feel. Say what you like and what you don't like. Leave it to them to decide if they wish to change something. In respecting them, you will find self respect.</li><li>Talk to someone who will listen to you with empathy. Who you speak to is a very important choice. They should be anchored to 'peace'. I am blessed to have a few such people in my life. Sometimes step 3 does not work and this step become crucial to release the pressure. Then, go back to step 1!</li><li>Drop the relationship. Remember, this is the last option, unless it's a matter of character or ethics. The drop should be done with grace and a peaceful heart. Hold on to the good memories and the good qualities of the other in your heart. What's the point of holding on to the unpleasant?</li></ol><div><br/></div>
<div>In order to make any of the above ideas work, what is a must is a deep sense of empathy. Empathy is the drive to understand why people are behaving they way they are. </div>
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<div>Empathy makes me feels empowered. Empathy expands my my mind and makes me feel responsible beyond the boundary defined by my skin. In doing so it liberates me from my own negative feelings. </div>
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<div>So next time you feel choked up in a relationship, first create empathy, and then run through these five points step by step!</div>
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I feel alive!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/i-feel-alive2017-10-27T16:31:53.088000Z2017-09-06T03:20:43ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>I am staying at my parents house for a few days. I didn't carry my running shoes with me. When I woke up this morning, my mind had a perfectly valid excuse for no exercise - no shoes! I convinced myself that instead of exercising, I will use the time to write a blog post or some other 'productive' activity.</div>
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<div>Then, a vision flashed in my mind. The previous month I had seen a man running barefoot. I remembered a website I had seen called <a href="http://barefoootrunning.com">barefootrunning.com</a>. Hmmm. The excuse evaporated. I stepped out of the house. I began the run. By the time I reached the end of the road, my mind said to me "go easy Aditya, today you should do less." Makes sense, as I was running barefoot for the first time.</div>
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<div>After 2.5 kms, I had a decision to make, turn left towards home, or right for another 2.5kms. The brain was saying left. But there was another voice inside me that was whispering "go right". I listened to that voice, and turned right to complete the 5km. That voice was the voice of being "alive".</div>
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<div>I completed the 5km and limped home as I had blisters on both my feet. But I felt alive and ready to rock and roll.</div>
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<div>I've decided that I'm going to start doing more of what makes me feel alive. Preparing well for meetings makes me feel alive. Planning the day properly makes my feel alive. Helping others feel alive makes me feel alive. Getting things done on time makes me feel alive. Thinking big and taking small steps makes me feel alive. Nurturing a team of leaders makes me feel alive. Turning my mobile off and being 100% with my family makes me feel alive. Thanking my creator for all my blessings everyday makes me feel alive. Managing conflicts with grace makes me feel alive. Taking care of people makes me feel alive. Stretching my mind and body beyond limits makes me feel alive. Here's to being more ALIVE!</div>
Slay the demon of likes and dislikes!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/slay-the-demon-of-likes-and-dislikes2017-10-27T16:33:16.377000Z2017-09-05T16:34:14ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>Slay the demon of likes and dislikes!</div>
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<div>2005 Red. Red. Red.</div>
<div>2006 Red. Red. Red.</div>
<div>2007 Red. Red. Red.</div>
<div>2008 Red. Red. Red.</div>
<div>2009 Red. Red. Red.</div>
<div>2010 Red. Red. Red.</div>
<div>2011 Red. Red. Red.</div>
<div>2012 Red. Red. Red.</div>
<div>2013 Red. Red. Red.</div>
<div>2014 Red. Red. Red.</div>
<div>2015 Red. Red. Tricolor.</div>
<div>2016 Red. Tricolor. Red.</div>
<div>2017 White. Tricolor. Red.</div>
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<div>Thats what the Badminton World Federation Gold/Silver/Bronze record looks like from the last decade and more. Red is China. The Chinese have dominated the sport. </div>
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<div>Imagine being the only seeded Indian player in the top 10, with 7 other players being Chinese. You see red everywhere. You would even feel red. How does one slay the demon of Chinese invincibility that wrecks havoc in your mind?</div>
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<div>Thats what it must have looked like to PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal who broke into the red dominance. Recently, she was defeated by Nozomi Okuhara of Japan in a 110 minute long nail biting final at the BWF tournament in Glasgow. The world held its breath and enthusiasts have called it the best badminton match ever. After the first 11 points in the match, there were no consecutive points for any one player.</div>
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<div>How did she and her coach P Gopichand do it?</div>
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<div>Through sheer hard work and discipline. She would wake up at 3:30 am and reach the academy to start her training at 4:30am. Her coach Gopichand had to train other senior players at 6am. Her dietician Kiran Challagundla says “there is nothing like what she prefers. She eats what she is told to."</div>
<div>Thats it, victory lies beyond my personal like and dislikes. </div>
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<div>The demon is slayed when I slaughter the idea of “I don’t like doing this". I will do what needs to be done.</div>
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<div>Today I have decided to slay some of my demons.</div>
<div>"I don't like over assertive people." Slayed. I will deal with them properly by learning to say no.</div>
<div>"I don't like to be told no". Slayed. I will learn to communicate better.</div>
<div>"I don't like to make a daily goal." Slayed. I will not leave home without having my goals for the day in place!</div>
<div>"I don't like doing accounts." Slayed. My father will be glad to know this!</div>
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<div>Thank you PV Sindhu!</div>
We don't see eye to eye. Lets make apple pie!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/we-dont-see-eye-to-eye-lets-make-apple-pie2017-10-27T16:33:15.476000Z2017-08-31T03:11:27ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>You just don’t get it do you? If you don’t study hard, you are going to struggle in life.</div>
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<div>Aren’t you interested in your own life? Why do we have to keep nagging you?</div>
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<div>I am not asking you to stop having fun. But at least live up to your own committments!</div>
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<div>I heard you. Please stop repeating the same thing again and again!</div>
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<div>I just want you to listen to me. Why you can’t you try to understand me?</div>
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<div>I am making efforts, but you just don’t notice. What do you want from me?</div>
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<div>Oil and water are both liquids. Yet, they don’t mix easily. Parents and children are both want to relate well with each other. Yet, we often find it really tough to communicate with each other.</div>
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<div>Here is an idea. We need to borrow a concept from algebra - the good old Venn diagram. All apples are not green. All green fruits are not apples. But some green fruits are certainly apples! Lets find those green apples. They make wonderful apple pie!</div>
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<div>I have some ideas. You have some ideas. I don’t agree with some of your ideas. You don’t agree with some of my ideas. But, there must be some ideas that you and I both agree with. Lets make that apple pie!</div>
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<div>Lets find the intersection of what you believe and what I believe.</div>
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<div>Lets start with this intersection. Lets take this baby step. Lets drop all discussion of the parts that we don’t agree on and start with what we do agree on. We don’t need the red apples. We don’t need the other green fruits that are not apples. </div>
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<div>Let’s build trust. On the foundation of mutual trust, greater goals and higher targets can be set.</div>
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<div>The 'Apple pie’ approach works in all types of relationships. Just remember, green apples make the best apple pies!</div>
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TV is so satisfying!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/tv-is-so-satisfying2017-10-27T16:33:47.056000Z2017-08-24T01:57:48ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>TV, youtube, satellite, and even Netflix, can be immensely satisfying. I tell myself, “today has a been a long and tiring day, I deserve some TV now!" It is a source of relaxation. Watching TV halts the chatter of my mind, it takes away the burning churn of ‘overthinking’. Temporarily, I move away from all my ‘problems’ and am transported into another world. Who wouldn’t like that?</div>
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<div>In the last 5 years, there have been at least 3 periods of more than 6 months in length, when my wife and I completed switched off our TV and canceled all subscriptions. Recently I met some friends who have done the same. They seemed happy about it. Intrigued by our discussion, in typical MBA style, I made an analysis. I sat down and drew a graph of my ‘happy’ periods in the last five years. Times when I felt peaceful, yet driven and excited, and most importantly I felt ‘alive’ and moving towards my dreams. Then I mapped the ‘no TV’ interludes onto the same chart. And guess what, they seemed to correlate almost perfectly!</div>
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<div>So, was the absence of TV causing the ‘happy state’? Or, was the fact that I was feeling happy about my days, resulting in the absence of the need or compulsion to watch TV?</div>
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<div>Watching TV is satisfying. The human mind needs to feel satisfied. Else it becomes restless. It has a certain level, lets say 100 units of satisfaction, that needs to be reached every day before going to sleep. If my day has given me 80 units of satisfaction (through my work, interactions with people, exercise, experiences, hobbies, etc), then there is still a gap of 20 units. If my day was at 60, then there is a huge gap of 40. TV fills this gap brilliantly. Thats why often I feel ‘addicted’ to TV.</div>
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<div>Whats wrong with that, I hear you asking. The problem is in the way that TV fills the gap. If there is a crack in the wall, I can certainly fill it up with some loose mud. But, it won’t be as effective as filling it up with cement. The crack will go on increasing. TV steals away the time that I could be using to read something useful, take an online course to acquire a ‘next decade’ skill, spend some quality time with my family, or make a few calls to old friends. These are things that would move me closer to increasing the ‘satisfaction quotient’ of my days. TV steals that time. Hence satisfaction tends to keep decreasing.</div>
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<div>I have nothing against TV. I love watching House of cards and Game of Thrones every now and then. But I find that mindless, daily, habitual TV watching deprives me of many good things.</div>
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<div>In fact, I have realised that the TV watching habit is kind of like a ‘daily satisfaction meter’. If Im watching long hours of TV out of habit everyday, those are the times my days are really not going the way I'd like them to. It’s time to make some changes!</div>
Please listen to my dreams!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/please-listen-to-my-dreams2017-10-27T16:34:00.921000Z2017-08-16T09:32:46ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>One day, a young boy had a dream. He was sailing across the galaxy in a magical ship. It was a large boat with big sails that resembled the wings of an eagle. He sailed past planets of darkness and stars of hope and light. He saw himself at the helm of the ship, feeling free as a bird and strong as a bull. He was moving fast, cutting through the choppy waters of the ocean of life. The waves were the daily thoughts, emotions and temptations that tend to slow down our journey. </div>
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<div>His boat surged forward. But, there was something very strange about the ship. It's sails were powered by the wind of the young boy's dreams. The bigger his dreams, the stronger the wind and the faster the ship would sail.</div>
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<div>When he woke up in the morning, he remembered his dream clearly. It was a funny thing, it was a dream about dreams. He felt very energised. He felt the need to do something with his life. He wanted to dream big. But he had no idea how. So he went to his parents and asked them, “Mom, dad, how should I have bigger dreams?"</div>
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<div>His parents were simple folk. They had lived a life of hard work and discipline. Dreams were a luxury and an unnecessary distraction. Staying focused on studies and getting good marks was much more important. After giving it some thought, they said to him "right now your work is to study and score better marks. Dreams won't get you anywhere."</div>
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<div>The young boy's felt as though he was coming crashing down. It was as though the heavy anchor of his boat was rapidly sinking towards the ocean floor. He felt lost and alone. He felt as though his sails had deflated. No one wanted to listen to him. All he had wanted was for his loved ones to listen to him and share his excitement.</div>
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<div>I am blessed that my parents listened to my crazy dreams with a gleam of wonder and a spark of belief in their eyes. Tonight, when I go home I am going to listen to my children with the same gleam and spark. Im going to fill their sails with the wind they need to sail towards their dreams.</div>
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Fun now OR more fun tomorrow!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/fun-now-or-more-fun-tomorrow2017-10-27T16:33:59.381000Z2017-08-10T07:04:38ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>I was chatting with a group of youngsters and telling them about the famous ‘marshmallow experiment’ conducted by Walter Mischel in the 1960’s at Stanford University. The children who were willing to hold off fun now, to do something that would result in more fun later, were said to have the ability to ‘delay gratification’. The study tracking the kids across 40 years showed that the kids who could delay gratification had a different trajectory. They ended up having higher SAT scores, lower levels of substance abuse, less chances of obesity, could handle stress better, and had better relationships and social skills. You can read our article on this <a href="http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/the-greatest-gift-i-can-give-my-child">here</a>.</div>
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<div>The question of discipline is straightforward, am I willing to sacrifice fun now (eating a chocolate), and do something that is not so much fun now (go work out, or eat that salad), but will result in me having more fun tomorrow (being able to fit into pre-wedding suit!).</div>
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<div>Can I not resist watching that favourite TV show now, so that I can sleep on time and wake up on time to go for a run tomorrow?</div>
<div>Can I delay checking the likes on this post for 2 hours, so that I can get the current job at hand done without distractions!</div>
<div>Can I hold off playing those video games until I get all my homework done for the day?</div>
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<div>Now, these dudes are just so smart. One of my young friends threw me a question that stumped me. He said, “but Adi, don’t you also say we should always live in the moment?" If that is true, shouldn’t we always choose fun NOW? Being smart as I am, I gave some answer. But I knew my answer was a bit of a sham. He wasn’t satisfied and neither was I.</div>
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<div>I kept thinking about it. Why should I focus more fun tomorrow? Tomorrow never comes, right!</div>
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<div>The next evening I was getting ready to make some salad. My wife has a home herb garden where she grows some basil and chives. As I plucked a few fresh sprigs of basil, the answer to my young friend's questions dawned on me. My wife plants a handful of seeds every few weeks, so that there is always a fresh supply of herbs. What was planted last month is available for me today, and what was planted last week will become available after a few weeks. That way, there is always some basil available for us to use, NOW.</div>
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<div>When I have invested enough time ‘yesterday’ doing things that would be fun ‘tomorrow’, I am reaping that fun today. Then I can easily invest some time today, ensuring that tomorrow will be fun too! </div>
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<div>Hahaha, I know that sounds a bit like a scene from ‘Back to the future’, but it seems logical, doesn’t it! Besides, I notice that when I fall into this cycle, even doing things that are ‘fun tomorrow’ start becoming ‘fun now’!</div>
Help me, but help me.http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/help-me-but-help-me2017-10-27T16:33:35.626000Z2017-07-26T17:49:42ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>My young friend was in a little bit of trouble. She urgently needed to buy a box of contact lenses. She was running on her last ones. The power of her lenses is quite high. Tomorrow, she would be next to blind, and she had recently lost her backup glasses. It was a kind of a crisis. Of course, she was putting up a brave face and claimed that it will give her an opportunity to empathise with the blind. Not funny.</div>
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<div>I decided to help her. I telephoned a friend who runs a distribution business of optical products. I offered to send someone to his office and have the lenses collected and delivered to my young friend's place. I just wanted to help her and make her life easier. The problem was easy for me to solve, just a phone call away. One her own it would have cost her half a day and some headache. So I thought let me help.</div>
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<div>Before I knew it, I had already spend more than 45 minutes coordinating the whole exercise. She seemed confused. She kept changing what she wanted. I was just a little bit irritated. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Then, at one point, I looked at her and blurted out at her ‘why are you being so confused?’ </span></div>
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<div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Agreed, she could have been more clear about her requirements. It might have saved some time. But she is young. She must have been a bit embarrassed at her own situation. She was just a little frazzled. It was me who offered to help. But I insisted on pointing out her ‘lack of clarity’. At that moment, I saw her face fall. I could see that right then, she must have regretted asking for and taking my help.</span></div>
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<div>As I thought about it later, I realised my foolishness. I had helped her. I wanted to. But I ended up doing it in a way that made her think less of herself. I made her feel dumb. Chances are, that she will hesitate to ask me for help again. She will recoil at my sight, even if I can help her.</div>
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<div>We all need respect more than any other feeling or emotion. Especially from people we look up to, respect is a basic need we have. We need them to look at us in a way that makes us respect ourselves more. We need respect more that we need love, help, support and certainly more than we need any guidance or instruction! I want to help you, but let me do it in a way that makes you feel better about yourself. Just because I helped you, I don’t get the right to steal away your dignity!</div>
We were friends.http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/we-were-friends2017-10-27T16:34:46.484000Z2017-07-19T12:47:31ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>We were friends. We did things together. We said some silly things to each other and then we laughed. We even fought open heartedly. We worked. We created some magic.</div>
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<div>But now its gone. I am with you, but I don’t ‘see' you and you don’t ‘see' me. </div>
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<div>Earlier the water was clear. But now it seems to be a little muddy. Muddied with a little doubt, memories of a few moments of mistrust, and also a few careless words.</div>
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<div>Yet, when I think of it, even in a glass of muddy water, how much mud is actually there? Maybe 1% of the volume of the water? Yet it's the muddiness that my mind focuses on, not the water. Muddiness seems to change everything.</div>
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<div>What shall I do? How shall I filter the water?</div>
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<div>Or, can a beautiful flower grow in the muddy water?</div>
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Confidence is a chemical.http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/confidence-is-a-chemical2017-10-27T16:34:55.863000Z2017-07-17T01:42:40ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>Over the last four months I have lost 11kgs, mostly fat stored in my body. I've been exercising regularly, eating right, and limiting the cheat days. I'm suddenly fitting into clothes that I last wore 15 years ago. I feel good. I feel like a winner. This aspect of my life is working out well.</div>
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<div>If a teaspoon of milk is added to a glass of black tea, the entire tea will become milky. It won't be that only one section is milky and some other is black. Of course a gentle stir would certainly help.</div>
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<div>Like milk, confidence is a chemical. In fact all feelings and emotions are substances. They are a series of 'brain chemicals' that mix into the blood stream and act as signals and markers to my entire body. That's why confidence (and fear) feels so 'physical'!</div>
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<div>When I feel like a winner in one aspect in my life, I begin to feel like a 'winner' in life. The feeling of winning spreads. It gives me the strength to overcome challenges in every aspect of my life - my work, relationships, finance, etc.</div>
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<div>But the same is also true for doubt and fear. They also 'brain chemicals'. Where there is fear in some part of my life, there is fear in my life. That's it.</div>
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<div>Hence deep inside me, there is a kind of a battle being waged. It's a battle between the dark and the light. </div>
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<div>Here is my approach to the situation. Let there be enough light wherever possible. Let me keep on being a winner in some aspects of my life. Right now for me it's fitness and art. The light of winning will surely spread to every nook and corner and replace the darkness of fear and doubt. It's doesn't matter if the fear and the confidence are in different aspects of my life! It only matters which is greater!</div>
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I need to be understood.http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/i-need-to-be-understood2017-10-27T16:35:28.255000Z2017-07-08T16:48:25ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>I asked my young friend, what do today’s youth need. After a few blinks, she replied, “I guess we need to be strong. We are too weak. If we take one something, and have a few failures, we just give up."</div>
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<div>Thats smart, I thought. Attempting to be a little smart myself, I asked her “What do you think will make the youth stronger?" To that, pat came her answer, “having a true friend in our life".</div>
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<div>I wondered, what is a true friend? And why is it that having one makes me feel stronger? As I thought about it, I realised that every one of us has a need to be ‘understood’. When someone who I look up to and love, ‘gets’ me, it makes me feel strong. In some strange way it makes me I can handle whatever life throws at me. I don’t need them to say anything. I don’t need them to do anything. I certainly don’t need them to offer any advice or help. I just need them to understand me. They may not even agree with me. Just understanding seems to have the power to empower.</div>
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<div>Have you ever felt understood by someone, and that made you feel strong?</div>
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Death, my friend.http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/death-my-friend2017-10-27T16:35:48.282000Z2017-06-30T03:04:41ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div><span>As she lay there suffering, I looked into her eyes and saw death. She stared at me. She had a faint smile. Her wrinkled face revealed a melange of peace and pain. I ran my fingers through her hair. I caressed her soft but loose skin. I attempted to make her laugh. She did, for a moment. Her laughter broke my heart.</span></div>
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<div><span>She is 90+. I’m just 40. I always believed I have so much time. </span></div>
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<div><span>But then, I visited a young friend who had just lost her father. He was just 44. I held her in my arms. She was still. She smiled at me numbly. There was helplessness on her face. Without any warning, her life has been turned upside down. </span></div>
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<div><span>The next morning as I returned home from the gym, death came into my thoughts once again. I became so aware that I can become the recipient of death’s embrace anytime. Even before I complete writing this paragraph.</span></div>
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<div><span>Whew. I made it. Every breath I take, is in fact an opportunity. </span></div>
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<div><span>I quickly went over and hugged my children and my wife. I touched their faces and felt my heart bloom with gratitude. All my anxiety and worries about the small and large issues in my life seemed irrelevant. They fell off like the dying yellow leaves of the branches of a big Ashoka tree. I smiled. I felt light. I thanked life.</span></div>
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<div><span>Since then, death has become a part of my every breath.</span></div>
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<div><span>I have so many dreams, and so much to do. I often wait for a better moment. But, now I know I may not ever get more time. All I have is now. The present is a gift, from death. Thank you, death! You make me want to live each moment to the fullest. You make me want to make life more alive. </span></div>
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<div><span>I want to remember you every single day, and every single moment.</span></div>
A four letter word called 'Happiness'http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/a-four-letter-word-called-happiness2017-10-27T16:35:58.292000Z2017-06-21T16:18:32ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div><span>I needed an instant dose of happiness. I was feeling heavy. My heart craved for lightness. The brightness of light, and the lightness of feeling bright. I had been looking around me, trying to find what makes some people spontaneous happy. Why do some people always seem cheerful, even when the worst happens to them. I looked into my own life. Here is what I discovered.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span>Serve.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span>We were at a youth camp. A young friend of mine would be the first one to reach lunch area. He would pour water for everyone and then stand behind the counters to serve all his friends. He taught me this. Pull a chair, pour a glass of water, open the door, carry their bags, press their head, or even get their favourite food. Make someone feel special. It creates instant happiness.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span>Enjoy.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span>I learnt this on my business travels with my mama</span><span> </span><span>Rajiv Agarwal</span><span> </span><span>. Wherever he goes, he strikes up a conversation with a watchman, a waiter, a driver, or just a passerby. He shows genuine interest, he makes them laugh, and every time, he makes a new friend. Simple things can make us happy - a bird flying by, the colour of the leaves, a child’s laughter, the magic of sunset, a good workout, a warm hug, a chat with a stranger, or even finding a parking instantly on a busy street! They all create a sense of wonder in me. It doesn't cost money. Yet, instant happiness is guaranteed.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span>Work.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span>My mother</span><span> </span><span>Ruby Jhunjhunwala</span><span> </span><span>is my inpiration. I have seen her work at her studio since the time I can remember. Work is her religion. She loves her work and it makes her happy. At the age of 67, she is still at it, and I believe is creating the best art of her entire life. Hence, study a chapter, write a piece, sweep the floor, fold your own clothes, or better still, wash them, get your homework done, have an intense workout, or even complete an project well before time. Work is love. Love gives happiness. Hence work gives happiness.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span>Ambition.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span>Yup, this is a seemly misfit in the equation of happiness. But its not. My brother in law</span><span> </span><span>Jesh Krishna Murthy</span><span> </span><span>is a living example. Always setting new standards, never settling for 'ok', pushing oneself to be world class, makes all the difference. Jesh's firm Anibrain has worked on visual effects for 155+ Hollywood movies, sitting right here in Pune, India. So, do more reps in the gym than ever before, be more creative, meet inspiring people, dream of changing the world, or create something new. Shattering mental barriers keeps me feeling zesty!</span></div>
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<div><span>Thanks to all the happy people in my life for teaching me this! Im certainly injecting myself with regular doses of SEWA!</span></div>
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When happiness is gone.http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/when-happiness-is-gone2017-10-27T16:36:26.702000Z2017-06-16T00:51:57ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div><span>She is gone.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span>My project failed.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span>He didn’t even look at me.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span>She doesn’t laugh at my jokes anymore.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span>My friend is now more friendly with someone else.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span>She looked at me with that ‘seeing through’ expression.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span>I worked on something tirelessly, and someone else got the credit.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span>In the story of Harry Potter, there are these dark creatures called ‘dementors'. They feed on other people’s happiness. They suck away at human happiness like a thirsty child on a hot summer day would suck away on a glass of juice with a straw. Once all your happiness is gone, you are left only with the horrors of your past.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span>Thats exactly what it feels like when some of the above incidents happen in my life. My happiness is all but gone. Sometimes if it goes on for days or weeks, I feel like a walking zombie. I can’t focus on anything, and nothing seems meaningful anymore. It’s a downward spiral.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span>A few things give me temporary relief - a bout of exercise, my favourite song, my favourite music, yummy food, a night of good sleep, getting some long pending tasks completed. But like I said, the relief is temporary.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span>In JK Rowling’s story, the most powerful way to ward of the dementors is the ‘Patronus charm’. It is a supremely complicated and high advanced spell. They only way to conjure this charm is when you are concentrating with ALL your might, on a single, very happy memory! One must muster the happiest memory one can think of, draw circles with the wand, and pronounce the incantation, Expecto Patronum!</span></div>
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<div><span>The other day I met someone who seemed affected by the dementors. The smile was gone from her face. I made an effort to connect. I listened. I felt her sadness. Later I just reached out and held her hand. She seemed to feel a little better. And amazingly, that night as I lay down to sleep, I realised I am feeling better. Making a difference in someone else’s life, had made the greatest difference in mine. My happiness was back. This has now become a happy memory for me. Such memories power my ability to cast the Patronus charm at will whenever I see the dementors approaching.</span></div>
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Not yet!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/not-yet2017-10-27T16:37:30.407000Z2017-06-07T14:15:52ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div><br/></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">My four year old daughter and five and a half year old son understand the language of ‘not yet’ very well. Their latest love is the cartoon character Pepper Pig. Like many parents, my wife and limit their time with Pepper. We attempt to teach them delayed gratification. We tell them, you can watch after one hour, or you can watch after dinner time. We have to endure multiple interjections of ‘is it time yet?’. ‘Not yet’ is the answer they have gotten used to.</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">I believe that what keeps the human spirit going in the face of disappointments, is faith. Faith happens when we retain a silent confidence that good things in our life may take time, but they will certainly happen.</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">My cousin Shivani has a piece of paper pinned on to her notice board. It has the words ‘Not yet’ scribbled on it in a large letters. When I asked her about it, she told me about one of her professors at university. As the final assessment report for the students, her professor gave out only two grades, ‘Mastered’ and ‘Not yet’! Even if a student hasn’t performed well, all that her report card says is that with some more work, she can!</div>
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<div>Sometimes she doesn’t achieve her goals, or fails at getting something done, or some things don’t work out. That’s when the words ‘not yet’ on the paper reminds her that all is not over. Things just haven’t worked out, YET! As long as the goal is worth it, the note reminds her to keep at it, keep working, and keep digging deeper. It will certainly happen. It’s only a question of time.</div>
Marks matter - a matter of markshttp://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/marks-matter-a-matter-of-marks2017-10-27T16:37:43.107000Z2017-06-01T02:12:46ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>Exams results are out. Its always a period of heightened emotions, be it celebration, excitement, disappointment and sometimes even shock and grief. We hear the voices of many who ask this question - do marks really matter in the real world? Hence, I ask this question - What exactly are marks?</div>
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<div>Marks are a measure. Just like kilograms, litres, meters or gigabytes, marks are a unit of measure. So what do marks measure? This is an important question we must ask ourselves. The common notion is that marks measure intelligence. I stand to disagree on this. My proposition is that marks are a measure of my willingness to make efforts, even when the subject at hand is not interesting or boring. They are a measure of my ability to march forward, covering chapter after chapter, staying focussed and getting the job done.</div>
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<div>Now, don’t get me wrong, I passionately believe in the idea that we must all find work that we love. Then, everyday seems like a holiday. Yet, even those who have found this holy grail must at times deal with boredom, and do things that they don’t want to do but have to. Ask this to any successful and happy scientist, businessman, musician, artist or sportsman. They will tell us that in order to do the things they love, they must endure enough hours of pain, practise and so called ‘boredom’. They must find within themselves the energy to deal with the mundane. Only then, the profound is possible.</div>
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<div>True, I’m not a huge fan of our education system. True, our system does not encourage enough creativity. True, at times the subjects seem irrelevant. But yet, until it evolves, we must endure, and we must find ways to deal with it.</div>
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<div>Hence, marks are a measure of our ability conquer the boring.</div>
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<div>The results are out, and if are happy with your scores, congratulations to you! You must celebrate. But, don’t forget that every measure has limitations. Just because I lost 10kgs of weight doesn’t mean that I got fitter. Just because I scored well doesn’t mean I am fully equipped to face life. I must keep exploring myself and expanding my horizons through theoretical and practical training and work experience. Analyse yourself and find out what qualities do you need to fortify yourself with - is it communication skills, gratitude, empathy, curiosity, social skills, fitness, or even plain simple patience? These are what will build your character. Character is what will create your life.</div>
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<div>In case you were unable to perform, don’t lose heart. Its natural to be upset and disheartened. You may even have to face the adverse reactions of people around you. You may feel shame. You may experience a sinking feeling. You may even feel like rebelling. Stay strong. Endure this time. It is not the end. In fact, it may be the beginning of something great. This may just be your greatest opportunity to transform yourself. It's time to analyse yourself. What do your marks say you about you? How well do you handle boredom? Have you learn't methods to stay focused and conquer the mundane? Have you built a support system to stay consistent? Take this time to discover yourself, and face your realities. And then my dear friend, set about finding friends, family, teachers and books that can help you build this powerful quality called ‘grit’. Grit is what will create you. Grit can be learnt. You can be gritty once you decide to. Go, do all the research you can about grit.</div>
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I did it for me.http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/i-did-it-for-me2017-10-27T16:38:00.516000Z2017-05-26T02:45:22ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div><span>I did it for me.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: start;"><span>The other day I made a lovely little sketch of my daughter. I immediately grabbed my phone and posted it on... hehe... FB and Insta. And then within five minutes I was checking to see who liked it! I have to admit it was a good feeling to get those likes and even a few comments.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: start;"><span>But let me tell you what is an even better feeling. All the blog posts I write, are stored in a very lovely app call </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/evernote?source=feed_text&story_id=10154399640250689">#</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/evernote?source=feed_text&story_id=10154399640250689">Evernote</a><span>. I just checked and I found that I have completed 100 po</span><span>sts! This is the 101st one. Evernote has a screen where I can see all my posts in a grid format. Somewhat like a stamp collection. Every time I look at this screen, I feel inspired. I feel inspired by myself. I don't want to break the momentum.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: start;"><span>That's when I realised, I did it for me. I get the most joy out of my own consistency, dedication and creativity.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: start;"><span>For the last 5 days, I exercised everyday, I did it for me.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;"><span>I made a difference in some people's lives, but now I see I did it for me.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;"><span>I've been contributing to the organisation I am a part of, and know I see I did it for me.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;"><span>I am writing this, and I am doing it for me.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: start;"><span>Then, if I get appreciation it's great. If not, I did for me anyways.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: start;"><span>I inspire I.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: start;"><span>Thanks for reading, and would love know, what about you, inspires YOU?</span></div>
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I love you, but don't come close!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/i-love-you-but-dont-come-close2017-10-27T16:38:31.120000Z2017-05-18T01:55:29ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>From a distance, everything looks beautiful. All the flaws are hidden. I am sitting by the window in my room on the 10th floor. The buildings across the river outside look glorious. They seem perfect almost. Yet, I know that up close, the same buildings will have their cracks, leakages, broken windows, and stained walls. There will be a dozen issues. Proximity alway reveals the blemishes.</div>
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<div>She seemed perfect. Standing straight, with a cute yet confident expression, well spoken, considerate, intelligent and very graceful in all her doings. And she actually is all these things. We got along so well. She was the friend I always wanted to have. We had many an adventure together. I grew closer to to her. Obviously, we got to know each others flaws too. The little cracks started to show up.</div>
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<div>I don’t want you to see me! Once you see those dirty corners and broken tiles, then you may stop respecting me! Or worse, you may stop loving me. I’d rather keep the distance. And thats when the mask comes on. I don’t want to get too close to people, even those who I want to be close to. It’s too dangerous.</div>
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<div>Also, I don’t want to see their flaws. It breaks the image of perfection about them I have created in my mind. Suddenly, the pedestal I have placed them on starts to get shaky. It’s not fun. It makes me feel vulnerable and weak.</div>
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<div>People are the way they are. Relationships require some proximity. They require some distance too. I need to be able to zoom in and out as per the scene. I need to learn to see the flaws and not be appalled. I need to learn to allow myself to be exposed to the ones who genuinely love me and care for me. It will only strengthen me. It will teach me to accept myself more.</div>
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Im getting rid of my 'Lal Batti'http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/im-getting-rid-of-my-lal-batti2017-10-27T16:39:00.122000Z2017-04-21T06:30:09ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>In school I remember being very fascinated by the ‘Lal batti’ on the hood on my friend's father’s car. His dad was a elected representative, who happened to be ’not in power' at that time. Yet, the red light stayed perched in its place. Once switched on, it made a shrieking sound and the driver always seemed to have a very authoritative expression as he drove forth, fully expecting the ordinary ‘normal’ citizens to move aside. Honestly, at that time it was a splendid feeling!</div>
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<div>Recently, the prime minister of our country issued a directive putting an end to the era of the ‘lal batti’. From now onwards only medical and law enforcement related vehicles would have the right to use this device. I believe this is a very symbolic move. There should be no place for self-righteousness, grandiosity, or position induced power. Those in ‘power’ have a responsibility to serve. </div>
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<div>The lal-batti is a symbol of ‘self-importance’. When I look into my own heart I can see several such lal-batti’s - my education, my address, my financial status, my good english, even my honesty and sincerity. These are beautiful gifts I received and I'm grateful, but they need not create self-righteousness. </div>
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<div>One young friend of mine walked out on the streets of small village and struck up a conversation with a young lady almost 4 times her age. My friend lives in a bungalow in a very nice locality in a big city. Her new friend probably lives in a tiny one room house in the corner of the village. The difference between them is stark. But in a conversation of 10 minutes they found something that connects them - she realised that they are both human, they both feel joy and pain, and they both want to be loved and appreciated. My friend had shed all her lal-battis!</div>
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<div>I am inspired by this young lady. These youth are the real leaders of our country. I learn this from her - we are all the same, inspite of our financial, educational, intellectual, lingual, and cultural differences. We all deserve to be treated fairly. The keywords for leadership are ‘service’ and ‘responsibility’.</div>
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Do!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/do2017-10-27T16:39:09.708000Z2017-04-12T08:49:17ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>I was surprised to see him using a makeshift spade to make little trenches. He was planting little saplings in the narrow patch of soil. As I got out of my car, with curiosity I asked him which variety of flowers he was planting. I assumed that maybe the society authorities had asked him to lay out some flowers in the trench on the wall in front of our office building. </div>
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<div>His answer amazed me. “What is the point of sitting around and doing nothing? I had some mint stalks at home, so Im just planting them here. Someone can enjoy some salad someday soon!"</div>
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<div>He was not being paid extra. He had not been told or instructed. Even if he hadn’t bothered, no one would have even noticed. He was doing it any way. And happily. That is what blew my mind.</div>
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<div>When I ask my friends in the corporate world what they look for in youngsters who come to them for a job, one answer is universal - "we don’t care too much only about marks and percentages. What we are looking for is attitude." </div>
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<div>Attitude is demonstrated by action. My friend said “we want to know what have they down on their own initiative - projects, courses, volunteering, hobbies - anything than shows an ability to take initiative, have grit, and get things done."</div>
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<div>Every summer holiday that I can think back to, I was busy doing something. Once my father and I spent an entire month making our own ‘anars’ - you know, those colourful firecrackers that create a fountains of sparks. One summer I made and supplied dry roses to several florists in Pune. Another time I made and sold electronic metronomes. Once I spent the holidays writing my own computer game.</div>
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<div>I love doing. I have a bias for action. It keeps me energised and keeps me learning new things.</div>
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<div>Thank you to my friend who taught me that doing is possible, anywhere, anytime, and with whatever resources are at hand.</div>
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The well of emotions.http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/the-well-of-emotions2017-10-27T16:39:34.928000Z2017-04-06T14:14:27ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div><font style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">The well of emotions.</font></div>
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<div><font style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">We went for a swim in a village well. They say it is more than 200 years old. There was no advanced technology then. Yet, they say that it is designed so that there is always fresh water flowing into the well from sources at its base. That's not all, there also is an overflow system. These are channels through which the excess water leaves the well. </font></div>
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<div><font style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">This ensures that the well always remains fresh, and always remains at the same stable level. It's never empty and it's never flooded. There is constant flow and renewal.</font></div>
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<div><font style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">How did our ancestors do this, I wonder. Where did they access such wisdom and knowledge?</font></div>
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<div><font style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">I feel this is true for us humans beings also. We need to have an everlasting source of energy that keeps renewing and refreshing us. We also need an overflow mechanism that's ensures we don't get carried away.</font></div>
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<div><font style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">My energy source is meditation, gratitude and focus. My overflow mechanism is acceptance and humility, and also sports!</font></div>
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<div><font style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';">As I write this I am welling up in gratitude for all you amazing people who are reading this. Thank you!</font></div>
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What did you learn today?http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/what-did-you-learn-today2017-10-27T16:40:13.215000Z2017-04-05T13:02:41ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>When I was in the 8th standard, my parents gifted me a ZX Spectrum. That was the first programmable gaming console to hit the market in Indian. You could hook it up to a TV and play video games. But you could also use it to write software programs in a language called GW Basic. I was fascinated. That was before the times of internet. That was before the times of computer classes. There were very few learning resources. It was a struggle to find a few books. One of my dad’s friends knew someone who was willing to help me learn the basics. I would go to that gentleman’s house every weekend and bombard him with questions.</div>
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<div>I learnt fast. It was a struggle. But I was hungry. Within a year I was writing small pieces of code and within 2 years I had written a little game of my own!</div>
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<div>Once, I made an audio story with only sound effects and no words. I recorded it on an old tape recorder.</div>
<div>Once, I spent an entire summer making dry roses and supplying them to local florists!</div>
<div>Once, I made electronic metronomes and sold them to students at my guitar classes.</div>
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<div>I took on many such projects and learnt many such things. I learned by reading, experimenting and talking to people who know.</div>
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<div>Recently I met with a friend who has spent 20+ years in a software products company. Now he runs his own firm which creates technology products. I asked him what do they look for when they hire new software engineers. What he told me, stumped me.</div>
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<div>He said that those who just go through with their usual engineering course and studies, are usually very unenterprising and dull. They just know some part of what they have been taught and nothing else. But those who have made efforts to learn many new things on their own get the advantage. They have taken on projects, internships and made their own efforts to learn things outside of the college curriculum. These people are enterprising and display the attitude of hunger to learn. They get the premium.</div>
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<div>I learned how to make short films recently and it makes me empowered in this world of social media and video.</div>
<div>I did an online course in design and learned how to create smart graphics for promotion online.</div>
<div>I met a friend who taught herself graphology through freely available online resources.</div>
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<div>Learning is fun. More that what we learn, the process of learning instills in us the confidence that 'even if I fail, I will learn shamelessly and rise!'</div>
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Laziness is just a BUMP.http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/laziness-is-just-a-bump2017-10-27T16:40:37.173000Z2017-03-30T02:36:17ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>When you come to my house, you will come across a big bump about 50m before the gate of our society. Its like a giant speed breaker, almost 7 to 8 feet in height. I guess there is a huge water pipe below the road, and they weren’t able to dig it deep enough, so they just let the road go above it! If you come cycling, you will actually feel it. You will have to change to the lowest gear, and put in all your might. You may even want to just get off the cycle and walk. Once you cross it though, you will get a huge speed boost and you can almost roll all the way to my home.</div>
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<div>I call that bump ‘laziness’. </div>
<div>I feel lazy to write this article. <br/></div>
<div>I feel lazy to go for a run in the morning. <br/></div>
<div>I feel lazy to complete that painting I started. </div>
<div>I feel lazy to put in that additional one hour of work to refine my speech. </div>
<div>Heck, I even feel lazy to go have a bath!</div>
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<div>But, like I said, laziness is like my friendly neighbourhood bump. It takes just a few seconds to get over. Those few seconds are tough, I have to push like crazy. But once Im over it, I’m on a roll!</div>
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<div>I tell myself that I’ll just wear my shoes and get outside, and then Ill come back to my bed and go to sleep.</div>
<div>I tell myself that I’ll just pick up the brush and make 3 random strokes and then I can stop.<br/></div>
<div>I tell myself that I’ll just read the speech one last time and then leave it be.</div>
<div>I tell myself that I’ll just write 10 words and then I’ll let it be.</div>
<div>I tell myself that I’ll just wet my feet and then I’ll step out!<br/></div>
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<div>And then, I just don’t want to stop. The momentum takes me forward.</div>
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<div>That’s my laziness hack. I tell myself that I’ll just make that 10% beginning and then stop. And then, I’m on the other side of the bump!</div>
<div><br/></div></div><div>It takes only a moment to get over laziness.<br/></div>
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A holiday state of mind.http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/are-you-enjoying-the-exams2017-10-27T16:42:00.064000Z2017-03-16T01:43:59ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>Are you enjoying the exams? Does that sound like a strange question? Let me not create unnecessary suspense. I've realised that if I'm not happy now, chances are I won't be happy when I get that ice-cream, or get that appreciation, or go for that party, or have that holiday, either! </div>
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<div>How many a finals exams went by waiting for the summer holidays to come. And how many summer holiday plans were hatched - I'll learn French, and join dance classes, and work in an NGO, and go trekking, and, and, and and! And how many a summer holiday just went by!</div>
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<div>At times I've caught myself feeling miserable about my current situation. I found myself attaching my happiness to a future event. Most recently it was about my financial status. I caught myself thinking, when I can afford to buy that house, life will be really awesome. Another time it was simpler, when become fit and my paunch is gone, then I'll actually enjoy being on the beach! Here's another good one, when I've gained her trust, then we will be happy! </div>
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<div>Nowadays I remind myself that life is like a glass of lemonade. No I'm not taking about Beyonce's latest album. What is mean is that if I'm not enjoying the first sip, chances are I won't be enjoying any of the sips! </div>
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<div>If I don't know how to be happy now, chances are I won't be happy then either, or the happiness will be momentary.</div>
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<div>If I know how to be happy NOW, whatever the now holds, then the chances are I'll be happy then too! And when I'm happy, I make the right decisions, say the right things, press the right buttons... you get my point.</div>
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<div>This holiday, I've taken a decision - I'm not going to wait for holidays anymore. I'm going to live in a holiday state of mind. And, as we at Lifeschool say - I will relax AS I work! It always gets the best out of me.</div>
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<div>So, are you enjoying your exams? :-)</div>
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Don't just raise the ceiling. Raise the floor!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/dont-just-raise-the-ceiling-raise-the-floor2017-10-27T16:42:00.711000Z2017-03-06T03:59:32ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>I am the ambitious types. I like to do many things. And I like to do them well. But here is an honest admission, I tend to rest on my laurels quite easily. </div>
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<div>Let me explain. A few years ago, I got going on running and fitness. I became very strict with my routine and my diet. I lost 14 kgs. I ran 21km. I felt really good about myself. However, in the next one year, I put 10kg back on. I could not sustain. I could not go to the next level of fitness.</div>
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<div>Here is another example, a few years ago I got into creating cartoons. I practised a lot. I got better and getter. I made a very brilliant 2 page cartoon of inspiring travails of Arunima Sinha, the world’s first female amputee to scale the peak of Mt. Everest. I received a lot of appreciation. I felt very good. But then, thats it, the work slowed down. I could not go to the next level of comic creation.</div>
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<div>A few days ago I went for run with my super fit 52 year old friend Tukaram Naik. We were running at the Pune race course, which is a 2.2 km track. I had intended to run 3 rounds, which we completed together. Since he was running further, I pushed myself and ran one more. Thats when I started feeling happy with myself and was ready to stop. But that's when my friend told me something that changed my life forever. He said “Lets make 5 rounds the floor. Whenever we come to the race course, we should do minimum 5 rounds. Anything over that is bonus!"</div>
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<div>Boom! It hit me. I need to keep raising the floor. I need to keep raising the base level of expectations I have of myself. The mistake I was making was I only kept setting higher targets. Rather, I also need to raise the base level of the efforts that need to put in!</div>
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Think. Don't overthink!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/think-dont-overthink2017-10-27T16:42:19.406000Z2017-03-01T17:01:46ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>I like screwdrivers. I own them in many shapes and sizes - star, flat, philips, miniature, etc. Yup, you could say that I’m a kind of a wannabe handyman. I’ve always loved having a well stocked toolbox. </div>
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<div>Indeed, the humble screwdriver is a supremely useful tool. It’s utility is not restricted just to opening and closing screws (as its name implies), but it can be used to wedge open tightly shut cans and jars, chip away dried glue and even break large blocks of ice!</div>
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<div>To someone who walks around with a screwdriver in had, everything starts looking like a screw! Imagine if I attempted all sorts of tasks with it, just because I have a screwdriver in my hand - like eating a masala dosa, opening my house door, starting my car ignition, signing on my chequebook, or even operating my new laptop - mayhem would result! Imagine giving your precious new smartphone for repair to a screwdriver wielding handyman. You wouldn’t do that even in a state of temporary deliriium, would you? That would be gross overuse and in fact misuse of the friendly instrument called Mr Screwdriver.</div>
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<div>On similar lines, I believe that ‘thinking’ is a tool. A powerful, beautiful and very useful tool, but still a tool nonetheless. It has its uses, and it does a fine job when used properly. But to think that ‘thinking’ can solve all my problems, is quite silly. It's just like imagining that a screwdriver can be used to repair an microprocessor.</div>
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<div>Why me?</div>
<div>Will they like me?</div>
<div>What if she breaks my trust?</div>
<div>Why did she look at me that way?<br/></div>
<div>Why did he not reply to my messages?</div>
<div>What will he think of my if he finds out the truth?</div>
<div>After all these years, how could she do that to me?</div>
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<div>Overthinking.</div>
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<div>It happens when I am using the wrong tool for the wrong purpose. Thinking is quite ineffective when it comes to matters of the heart and emotions.</div>
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<div>There, ‘thinking’ is no longer a useful tool. There decision, empathy, communication, courage and action are far more effective tools. </div>
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<div>Let me appeal to the good in others. <br/></div>
<div>Let me express myself in the proper way. <br/></div>
<div>Let me take decisions and keep moving forward. <br/></div>
<div>Let me always approach from a place of strength. </div>
<div>Let me decide what I see as the purpose of my life. </div>
<div>Let me continue to believe in myself and my goodness. <br/></div>
<div>Let me try and understand the other persons thoughts and feelings. <br/></div>
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<div>These are some tools that work for me when ‘thinking’ ceases to do the job. I’m upgrading my ‘Life toolkit’!</div>
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Study tips - one week to go!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/study-tips-one-week-to-go2017-10-27T16:42:29.912000Z2017-02-20T16:22:39ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>The last few days are all about getting your mind and body ready to PERFORM. Its not about last minute cramming. Its about right ‘mental state’. Do everything you can to be calm, mentally strong, and super alert. This is what will create the WINNING edge. Here are a few tips that have always worked for me!</div>
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<div><b>Sleep</b></div>
<div>This piece of advice is listed first because it is one of the most important and most frequently overlooked. Our brain needs rest! Make sure you get enough sleep. This makes a huge difference in levels of alertness during the exams.</div>
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<div><b>Use your downtime wisely.</b></div>
<div>When you are not studying, make sure your eyes, your brain and your body is being rested. TV is not rest! 60% of the brain is visual, and TV is an audio-visual media. Phone is not rest either! Have someone give you a head massage! Music, laughter with friends and family, meditation, and going for a chilled out walk is brilliant rest. Walking is also great as it stimulates the brain by coordination the left and right hemispheres of the brain to work together.</div>
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<div><b>Simulate</b></div>
<div>For at least 3 days before the exams -</div>
<div>1 Sleep at the time you will sleep the night before the exams</div>
<div>2 Pack your bag for the next day before going to bed. Keep your pens, pencils and stationery properly and ready.</div>
<div>3 Have a morning routine of everything you would day on the day of the exam, and practise it for three days before the exam day.</div>
<div>4 Solve practise papers at the same time and with the same discipline as you would solve the actual papers.</div>
<div>All this will keep your subconscious mind prepared for the exam day. No energy will be used on unnecessary decision making and hence 100% of the mental energy will be focussed on remembering and performing.</div>
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<div><b>Eat Light</b></div>
<div>Dont OD on sweets, coffee, fried foods, spicy foods, heavy food, etc. Keep your system light to keep your brain feeling in control of things. Eat plenty of nuts, fresh juices, fruits, yoghurt, etc. Eat frequently, but small quantities.</div>
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<div><b>Breathe</b></div>
<div>Get into the habit of taking a one minute BREAK to just close your eyes and take a few deep breaths every 60 minutes. Do this during your actual exam also. Proper breathing does magic. It makes you relaxed, it oxygenates your system, it helps keep you focussed. These are all critical to performance.</div>
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<div><b>Boxify</b></div>
<div>Don’t let stress or tension from other aspects of life (relationships, friends, family issues, past failures, etc) disturb you. Tell yourself that right now, this (i.e. results in exams) is your priority. You can deal with the other things later.</div>
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<div><b>Strengthen your strengths.</b></div>
<div>Don’t try to learn new things during the last few days. Instead, strengthen your strengths. Make sure you get them absolutely right.</div>
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<div><b>Preview - Study - Review</b></div>
<div>Before you starting studying, quickly preview (5 minutes) all the topics you intend to study. After studying, take 5 minutes to review what you studied. Repetition is the mother of learning. This will make sure that in every session, your brain has seen the content matter 3 times!</div>
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<div><b>Group Study.</b></div>
<div>Dont do it! At max, study with one friend. But, ensure that your friend is even more dedicated and committed than you are.</div>
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<div><b>Don’t become overconfident</b></div>
<div>Use your time wisely. These few days will determine many things. Go all out. Don’t spare any effort!</div>
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<div><b>Key Points</b></div>
<div>Review only key points from every topic. Ideally review your short notes if you have them. Review the underlined parts. Review quickly, but repeatedly. More the number of impressions (no of times you reiview), the better you will remember.</div>
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<div><b>Visualise</b></div>
<div>A few times every day, visualise yourself answering the exam, absolutely relaxed and effortlessly. See yourself doing your 100% best without any worry or tension about the result. See this image clearly in your mind. It will help ease the pressure.</div>
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<div><b>Say Thank You!</b></div>
<div>Thats right, express your gratitude to all the people who helped you - teachers, parents, friends, and mentors. Say thank you to existence for giving you the opportunity to study and give exams. After all, not everyone gets the opportunity! Gratitude always neutralises any negative emotions and puts in the right state of mind :-)</div>
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<div><b>Be happy!</b></div>
<div>Saved the best for the last. This one is crucial. Do something everyday that makes you HAPPY! - it changes the chemical balance of your brain and makes you more ready to PERFORM!</div>
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<div>Wish you all the glory! Enjoy answering!</div>
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When love destroys.http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/when-love-destroys2017-10-27T16:43:14.754000Z2017-02-15T01:08:53ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>Our son Dhyann is 5 and he gets homework on Fridays. It was a <a dir="ltr">Monday morning</a>. Dhyann was doing his homework and eating breakfast. We were helping him where he got stuck. That's when it struck me. Our love is destroying him. The homework should have been done earlier. By allowing him to do it now, we are teaching him ‘its ok to do things at the last moment’. We should let him go to school without the homework and face his teacher. Next time, there would be a greater chance of him doing the homework on time. </div>
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<div>Recently I had visited a dear friend in Bangalore. Their 8 year daughter Khushi is a sweetheart. Khushi's school bus service provides a tracking app which tells her exactly where the bus is. That morning, she was late and missed the bus. She had come back home with a tear in her eye. Immediately, her father, my dear friend, picked up the car keys and offered to drop her to school. I tagged along. As we were waiting for the lift, my friend's wife quipped - when I was late for school, my father made me stay at home the entire day. I had to face my teachers the next day. After that, I was never late. We all smiled and remarked what a brilliant thing her father did. Yet, we still dropped Khushi to school by car!</div>
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<div>Love creates. But, it also destroys.</div>
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<div>I love myself. </div>
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<div>I do everything to create myself. I am careful of what I eat. I exercise. I meditate. I plan my days. I avoid distractions. I set goals. My love is creative.</div>
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<div>Yet, everything now and then, I slip. Earlier, I would myself feeling really bad about my slips. I would fill myself with regrets. I would look for justification - ‘It was not my fault!’, ‘I have never done this before, so how could I know’, ‘There was too much traffic!’. I would justify and shy away from admitting my mistake. I would defend myself. My love was destructive.</div>
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<div>Nowadays, I don’t start cursing myself. I don’t start hating myself. I don’t start beating myself up. I admit my shortcomings. I accept my slip-up. I accept the consequences with a smile on my face. Tough consequences are my friends. They are reminders to me for the improvements and changes I need to make. I allow my love to create me.</div>
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<div>Recently, Dhyann lost some pieces of his favourite Lego set. He cried a lot. He asked me to buy some new ones. I smiled. I hugged him. I let him calm down. I suggested some alternate pieces he can use. But, I calmly refused to buy the pieces that he lost. We brainstormed together, and he came up with ideas how to store his Lego set better so pieces would not be lost. He came up with a brilliant idea - to keep all the pieces together in a large tub! They will never get lot! True love can be tough, but always creates.</div>
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<div>The question I ask myself is this - Is my love creative or destructive? Am I willing to allow consequences to be faced, or am I rushing to protect and hide?</div>
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I took a leap of faith.http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/i-took-a-leap-of-faith2017-11-16T01:51:15.736000Z2017-02-09T02:18:41ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>My father used to tell me, a pole vaulter uses the pole to gain height and lift off the ground. But, if she wishes to cross the bar, she cannot afford to keep holding on to the pole. She needs to let go of it! What got her so high up, will become what will keep her crossing the bar.</div>
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<div>For many years, I never understood exactly why he told me this story.</div>
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<div>As a young MBA graduate, I was filled with many dreams and ambitions. I did a stint in an MNC and got a taste of the corporate world for a few years. Sooner than later, my marwari nature (Marwari’s are a community that hails from Rajasthan, India, where children grow up listening to worlds like interest rates, profit, return on investment, almost from the time they are conceived) got the better of me and I departed from the corporate world to start an innovative venture with my artist mother. </div>
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<div>Fast forward a decade. As I look back, we were very successful in launching at least two lines of products that have attracted interest globally. Every single person who sees it tells us we are onto something brilliant. We have exported to 14 countries, had more than 50 points of sale across India, doing a healthy clip of online sales, regularly have interns from design schools in India and abroad, have collaborated with artists and designers, and have worked with the best of architects and designers in India. We do some beautiful and innovative work.</div>
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<div>Yet, the truth is we never made it as big and as profitable as we should have. Our growth stagnated. As I look back, I realise I never took any ‘leaps of faith’. I could analyse a lot, I could make plans, and I could create plan B’s brilliantly well. But, I didn’t put enough skin in the game. I never made any significant financial investment. My inaction on that front held us back.</div>
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<div>Analysing and planning can get me only upto a certain point. Beyond that, I have to let go, and take the plunge.</div>
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<div>I had gone bungee jumping. It cost Rs.500 to buy the ticket. I climbed up a 500 stepped steel tower and reached the platform from where the jump would be made. There, I saw a sign that read “You paid Rs.500 to reach till here. The jump is free!"</div>
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<div>Intellect, analysis, planning, can get me till that platform. Beyond that, only ‘faith’ works. I have to jump. No one is going to push me to carry me.</div>
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<div>I can never know with 100% confidence what the outcome will be. Things may go wrong, horribly wrong. Will it kill me or will I be able to bounce back? Even if I fail, what will I have gained? Will the journey be worth it? These questions have helped me take decisions after I reached the point where I could see no further.</div>
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<div>In choosing a life partner. In choosing a career. In spirituality. In business. In friendship. Analysis and faith are both equally important. But a point comes when analysis has to be dropped, and action has to be taken.</div>
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<div>Today I’m ready to make the leap of faith. We are investing to create a digital platform for the youth. A few brilliant minds are coming together to make it happen. Analysis has happened, risk assessment has happened, some plans are in place. Now comes the ‘leap’! </div>
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<div>I know it will be worth it! Thank you for reading!</div>
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Want results? Be a B.O.S.S.S.http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/want-freedom-be-a-b-o-s-s-s2017-10-27T16:44:35.357000Z2017-02-01T10:20:40ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>Results create freedom.</div>
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<div>I performed well all through my school and college life. My parents never asked me about my schedule or my whereabouts. They never applied any constraints. I was a performer.</div>
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<div>I performed well in my work in my first job after business school. Hence I was given the freedom to come and go as I wished. I was allowed to create my own business plans, to suggest changes in the way things are done, and so on. I was a performer.</div>
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<div>Results always create freedom.</div>
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<div>To create results, I need to learn to manage brilliantly well under pressure - be it pressure of deadlines, pressure of competition, pressure of possible failure, pressure of comparison.</div>
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<div>Here is a formula that we discussed in the DWT huddle recently that helps me to perform under pressure.</div>
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<div><div>Boxify</div>
<div>This is something my mother taught me. She said ’never allow negative emotions from one aspect of life to flow into other aspects of life'. Keeps different areas of life neatly and separately in boxes. Work issues should not flow into home, personal issues should not affect work, financial issues should not affect my relationships with my kids, and so on. When in a particular box, be 100% in that box, and work to solve the issues. Don’t think about other boxes! </div>
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<div>Obsess</div>
<div>All great people are a little obsessive when it comes to creating results. They go into minute details when needed, they take a big picture view when needed, they delegate when needed, they roll up their sleeves when needed, but whatever it is, then never lose focus. They are obsessed about what they are doing. This may sound contrary to the previous point about boxify, but it’s not. When in a box, be obsessed about results in that box!</div>
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<div>Stabilise</div>
<div>Any system that functions at high speed, also need a very high degree of accuracy and stability. A train that travels at 70 km per hour can afford to be rickety and shaky. But imagine a bullet train that travels at 300 km per hour. It needs to be super stable. I meditate regularly, I exercise regularly, I express gratitude regularly, and it helps be anchor on to peace and stability. Hence, managing speed in my life is not an issue! </div>
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<div>Simulate</div>
<div>My cousin Kush is a captain for a leading airline. But ever since I’ve known him, he used to love playing Flight Simulator on his PC. Even as he trained to be a pilot, his course included countless hours on simulators. I used this strategy when I was preparing for my entrance examination for MBA college. I would do practise tests at the exact time and in the similar kind of environment as where the final test was scheduled to be held. I would sleep at the same time that I planned to sleep on the penultimate night. I would wake up and eat breakfast at the same time, pack my bags, all in the same way as I would on the final test day. I simulated the final test conditions. This helped me reduce the final day anxiety by more than 70%! I like to do this every time I am preparing for an important event, presentation, training program or meeting. It works.</div>
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<div>Support system</div>Finally, Im blessed to have people around me who nudge me, remind me, love me, and never grudge me! They tell me time and again that I am good, I am capable, I am here to make a difference. They are tough with me when I slack out, but love me enough to give me a hug and make me believe in myself. I also like to surround myself with people who are doing 100 times more than me, to serve as a reminder about the ‘miles to go’. Keeps me grounded. </div><div><br/></div>
<div>So there you go, my five simple points that always help me perform even under pressure.</div>
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<div>Results create FREEDOM!</div>
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Broken resolution? Did you train your camel?http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/broken-resolution-did-you-train-your-camel2017-10-27T16:45:23.332000Z2017-01-29T00:32:02ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>When I was around 19<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">, we had been for a camel safari in Jaisalmer. We had camped right in the middle of the desert, just 40 kms before the India Pakistan border. It was a magical experience.</span></div>
<div><p>By the end of the 6 hour journey, when I got off I was walking with my hip oscillating back and forth like a camel on two legs.</p><p>Do you know the craziest part of walking in a camel group.. one behind the other. When the animal ahead of you has a bad tummy.. it lets out some gas… and oh man… camel fart is real mean stuff!</p><p>Now, the thing with the camel is that he has some feelings of his own. Its a big, beautiful and powerful beast. The rider has to be sensitive to the feelings and moods of the camel. </p><p>Imagine you are an arab in the desert and you a 100's of kilometres away from home. You are on your camel. You camel is your only chance of survival.</p><p>Now just imagine that the camel is in a bad mood, and are in a hurry, what might happen?</p><p>Or suppose, the camel has not been trained properly, and when the rider pulls the left rein, the camel jumps up.</p><p>Or when I pull the the right rein, the camel just stops and sits down!</p><p>Am I ever going to get to my destination???</p><p>The camel weighs up to 1000 kgs. The camel is 8 to 10 times as strong as you and me.</p><p>So, is it enough to train the rider? </p><p>Or do you agree with me that the camel also needs to be trained?</p><p>I realise that I am like this rider.</p><p>Consciously, I decide to wake up on time, to be punctual, to be fit, to forgive, to stick to a schedule… </p><p>But, the camel has other ideas!</p><p>The rider is my conscious decision, and the camel is my subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is 8 times more powerful than the conscious mind. </p><p>I have stopped feeling guilty about dozens of broken resolutions, and started working on training my CAMEL!</p><p>So the question is how to train the camel?</p><p>Set Small Goals and achieve them</p><p>Thats how all animals are domesticated. They are given a small task and rewarded when they achieve them. Every time they comply they are immediately rewarded. Each time the trainer will demand more and more of the camel!</p><p>Repeat, repeat and repeat</p><p>The subconcisous mind is like a computer. It has to run whatever program is given to it. But to program it, the instruction has to be repeated hundreds and thousands of times! Eventually it starts becoming a part of the original operating system!</p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Know what to expect</span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">No wild animal is entirely unpredictable. With enough time spent, one can get to know the creature with all its myriad desires, responses to various situations, peoples and yes... to tones of voice! Once I know what to expect when that gulab jamun is staring at me, I can devise an appropriate avoidance strategy! There I see his face changing and tone shrilling... time to take a deep breath and allow the storm to pass!</span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">It's good fun!</span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">In case you have made your own experiments with camel training, do share your insights with us!</span></p></div>
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The curse of the gifted.http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/the-curse-of-the-gifted2017-10-27T16:43:25.115000Z2017-01-18T04:32:23ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div><p style="color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><font style="font-size: 14px;" face="Helvetica Neue">When I had one shoe I was happy, I didn’t have to think which one should I wear today. When I was in school I was happy, I didn’t have to think about what should I do today. I had a friend who was very good at singing. He was happy, he knew he loved singing and didn’t have to think what else to learn. <br/></font></p><div><p style="color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><font style="font-size: 14px;" face="Helvetica Neue">I have often wondered, is there a connection between happiness and affluence. Does affluence make me unhappy? Or does it make me happy? </font></p><p style="color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><font style="font-size: 14px;" face="Helvetica Neue">I am good at many things. I draw and paint, I love to write, I enjoy running, I am a good public speaker, I have been brilliant at computer programming, I thrive in leadership situations, I love cooking, and I find my purpose in being a mentor for youth. Multi-talented personality, you might say. </font></p><p style="color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><font style="font-size: 14px;" face="Helvetica Neue">Yet, this has been a curse and a blessing. To be brutally honest, for most of my life this has actually been a curse. I dipped my fingers in many a pot, but didn’t go deep enough to find the gold. I explored many a field, and got to a point, and then gave it up to go explore something else.</font></p><p style="color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><font style="font-size: 14px;" face="Helvetica Neue">Some people go wide. Some go deep. I was wide. On the other hand, my sister went deep. When she became a part of the student organization AISEC, she kept at it, and went deep. Whatever she took on, she went deep and stayed at it for a long long time.</font></p><p style="color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><font style="font-size: 14px;" face="Helvetica Neue">It is not that I don’t go deep. I go very deep. The difficulty arises when I want to go deep into multiple things at the same time!</font></p><p style="color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><font style="font-size: 14px;" face="Helvetica Neue">Now I realize its beautiful to be wide and enjoy many different experiences. However, its crucial to be deep in one. Today’s world needs people who are wide and deep. Wide enables me to understand, converse with and connect with people of many different interests and fields. Deep enables me to have mastery.</font></p></div><p style="color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><font style="font-size: 14px;" face="Helvetica Neue">I've decided to be deep when it comes to creating and impact on youth. And you know what's the magical part? In the process of exploring this, all the width is coming in handy! I'm using my arty and design side to create cartoons that connect with the youngsters, I write this blog to speak my heart, we celebrate at my home and I cook for the winners, we are using technology to scale up the impact, and of course we run together and get inspired to be fit.</font></p><p style="color: rgb(49, 49, 49); font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 1px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><font face="Helvetica Neue">Being deep, automatically takes me wide!</font></p></div><div><br/></div>
A message for the youth.http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/a-message-for-the-youth2017-10-27T16:46:10.874000Z2017-01-02T02:41:50ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>There a some moments in our life when a person we meet changes our life forever. It may not be because of what he said to did. It's just because of how they live their life. It's because of their simplicity, their humility, and their involved energy INSPITE of who their are and what their glorious achievements are.</div>
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<div>Last week I met such a person who had this effect <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">on me. He is Mr Kiran Karnik. </span></div>
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<div>I asked him "Sir, what is your message for the youth?"</div>
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<div>I write this post to share his simple but powerful message with you. </div>
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<div>Find what you love to do.</div>
<div>Do what you love to do.</div>
<div>When you do want you love to do, you will have fun and not get tired.</div>
<div>When you are having fun you will do more and more, and you will EXCEL.</div>
<div>When you excel, then there will be tons of opportunities for you to make your dreams come true!</div>
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<div>Then, all of life's joys will be yours to enjoy.</div>
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<div>We live in a world where there are mammoth possibilities in every field of human endeavour. Whether it is engineering, or artificial intelligence, or financial trading, or manufacturing, or retail, or travel, or adventure, or cooking, or events, or acting, or music, or sports, or photography, there is humongous 'scope'.</div>
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<div>Stop asking the 'scope' question.</div>
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<div>Start asking 'what do I need to do, who do I need to meet, where do I need to go, to get GREAT at what I love doing?'</div>
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<div>2017 is going to be a year of getting great for me. This is going to be my mantra.</div>
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<div>Thank you Mr Kiran Karnik (awarded Padma Shri by the President of India) for your powerful message for the youth. It gives us hope and fills us with the desire to excel!</div>
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<div>About Mr Kiran Karnik</div>
<div><a style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://kirankarnik.wordpress.com/about/">https://kirankarnik.wordpress.com/about/</a></div>
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How to handle pressure.http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/how-to-handle-pressure2017-10-27T16:46:23.215000Z2016-12-28T16:19:07ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>Did you know...</div>
<div>Using a pressure cooker saves energy.<br/></div>
<div>Saves time - cooking time is reduced by as much as 70%.</div>
<div>Food cooked in a pressure cooker retains most of the nutrients.</div>
<div>Keeps the kitchen cooler (because heat is retained inside the cooker).</div>
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<div>Recently, I attempted cooking come potatoes in a pressure cooker. The seal seemed to have sprung a leak. Steam was fizzing out. I tried opening the cooker while it was still hot. It was quite a stupid thing to do. The thing almost exploded open. Thankfully, I was unscathed. A childhood memory of an exploding pressure cooker came back to me. I was just a young boy and was watching the cook make ‘daal' in the cooker. Something went wrong. The lid burst open and all the contents were suddenly strewn up on the ceiling in a powerful jetstream! Thankfully we were both at a safe distance away.<br/></div>
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<div>Later I understood that what went wrong was that the pressure release valve or the ‘whistle' of the cooker had malfunctioned.</div>
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<div>No my dear friend, this is not an article about cooking!<br/></div>
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<div>Today I realise that in order to live an meaningful and exciting life this is exactly what I need - a whistle! I need a positive pressure release valve. Something that allows for the release and regulation of pressure every now and then, in a positive and refreshing way. Then, pressure is indeed a wonderful thing. It allows the best of me to emerge. I have started seeing pressure as a friend. It’s making all the difference.</div>
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<div>I have a few such pressure release valves - running, meditation, painting, playing with my kids, cooking something new, feeling gratitude for all my countless blessings, or listening to my favourite Sufi songs.</div>
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<div>Sometimes all I need is someone to speak to and share my feelings with. Someone who will listen. Someone who will not judge. Someone who will not attempt to immediately blurt out a solution. Someone who will always help me stay anchored on to peace. Someone who will just care and give me a tight hug. I’m blessed that I have a few such people in my life! </div>
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<div>I pray that I can be that person for a few of my friends.</div>
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<div>Happy ‘whistling’!</div>
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An E.P.I.C. way to appreciate!http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/an-e-p-i-c-way-to-appreciate2017-10-27T16:46:24.729000Z2016-12-24T20:40:39ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>If I were a super-hero, the super power I would want is to be able to make people believe in themselves!</div>
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<div>I’d just waive my magic wand, zip-zap-zoom, and your self-belief touches the sky!</div>
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<div>Then, its impossible to feel sad, alone or jealous for more than 30 seconds.</div>
<div>Then, taking up challenges and breaking comfort zones comes naturally.</div>
<div>Then, not taking myself or my loved ones for granted is instinctual.</div>
<div>Then, always dialogue and never argument is the standard fare.</div>
<div>Then, making a difference wherever I go becomes my drive.</div>
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<div>Well, as you must expect by now from us, we found the magical brew, the elixir, the spell to be cast! In the Prisoner of Azkaban, the words ‘Expecto Patronum!’ are used to incarnate one's innermost positive feelings - joy, confidence, courage, etc. This force can be used to drive away the ‘dementors' - creatures that have the ability to amplify the deep fear and negativity that lies within the psyche of their poor subjects.</div>
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<div>So, let me hand it to you.</div>
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<div>What we need to do is to become detectives. We need hunt them down and catch them red handed. But, we need to catch them doing something GOOD!</div>
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<div>Even if 9 things they do are not good, my work is to be sharp enough to find that one thing they they did GOOD.</div>
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<div>Every heart craves for validation. Appreciation is an art. When done right, appreciation has the power to transform the way people see themselves. They will want to repeat the behaviours they have been appreciated for. They start believing that they are actually GOOD! Soon there will be two things they did good, and three, and then four!</div>
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<div>And to make it powerful, here is the EPIC formula to become a power-appreciator!</div>
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<div>E - appreciate EFFORTS not results. Results are not 100% in my control, but efforts always are.</div>
<div>P - be PRECISE, give examples of the desired behaviour, so that they know what to repeat!</div>
<div>I - give them an INSIGHT into their own greatness, make them see their own GOODNESS.</div>
<div>C - appreciate with CELEBRATIONS, a smile, a warm hug and in my case good food will always help!</div>
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<div>Want more? Here are 16 power appreciation statements. Use them as templates to get you on the fast-track to becoming an appreciation super-hero!</div>
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<div>1. You put in superb efforts towards ___________________________.</div>
<div>2. Even when _____________________________, you never gave up!</div>
<div>3. In spite of _________________________, you kept a positive attitude!</div>
<div>4. You have really made some improvement on ________________.</div>
<div>5. I loved the way you found a solution for __________________ by _____________________.</div>
<div>6. I loved the way you took responsibility for____________________.</div>
<div>7. I’m really enjoying the way you are ______________________________.</div>
<div>8. I admire _______________________ about you.</div>
<div>9. You really handled that situation well because you ________________.</div>
<div>10. It was brave of you to __________________.</div>
<div>11. I love that you were so alert the other day when __________________.</div>
<div>12. That day, you did a great job of helping ________________ with _____________________.</div>
<div>13. Because you ______________ I feel I can now trust you more with _______________.</div>
<div>14. I can tell you tried your best to _________________ because _________________.</div>
<div>15. You remembered to ______________________________. That’s brilliant!</div>
<div>16. I’m so proud that you made the choice to ____________________________.</div>
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<div>Now go get out there and zip-zap-zoom a few people today!</div>
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<div><img src="http://postachio-images.s3.amazonaws.com/ff639041-0b2b-4b6c-9d4d-fce6bc7c3212/cc601f86-dba2-4e68-a674-c1d402a2bfd7/3ff3bf8a-c13e-41bb-b318-6efb2e6987af.png" /><br/></div>
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How to feel free.http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/how-to-feel-free2017-10-27T16:46:46.030000Z2016-12-14T11:18:03ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>Choose.</div>
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<div>That’s what I discovered when I was a 9 year old boy. I have this clear memory. My cousins were visiting us for the summer holidays. We were all at in my grandparents home playing in the garden in the sand pit that my grandfather had set up for us. They all seemed to be having so much fun. But, I felt alone. It had nothing to do with them. They were just being themselves and having fun. I just felt left out.</div>
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<div>Then, I remember doing something pretty cool. I found some sticks, some dry flowers and a bucket of water. I sat nearby and started inventing a game of my own. I dug one stick in the ground and arranged some flowers around it. I set up another four of five sticks to balance around that one stick. I had my own make believe space station (or something like that happening).</div>
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<div>Then, something remarkable took place. One of my cousins came over and asked me what I was up to. I promptly made up a story about a space station and my control centre from where I was managing the docking of the spacecraft. That certainly lit up her eyes. I invited her to take charge of the make believe joystick. And lo and behold, before I knew it all of them were hovering around me. I was back in the game!</div>
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<div>When I was kept away I felt alone.</div>
<div>When I chose to make a game of my own I felt free!</div>
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<div>A few days back as I was speaking to a few students, a beautiful insight hit me. When someone else asks me to do something, e.g. wake up early, it feels like bondage. I feel like rebelling. I feel suffocated. But, and here is the beauty, when I CHOOSE to wake up early of my own volition, it feels like freedom. It feels like discovery! When some else asks me to work hard or study hard, it feels like a nuisance. But when I decide to do it on my own, I feel empowered!</div>
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<div>Even if I have only one option, I can still CHOOSE it rather than grudgingly accept it!</div>
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<div>Its smart to make choices before someone, a situation or just life itself forces me to make a choice.</div>
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<div>I choose to be fit.</div>
<div>I choose to make work like play.</div>
<div>I choose to focus on the work at hand.</div>
<div>I choose to drop ego in close relationships.</div>
<div>I choose to keep my mind clear of negative thoughts.</div>
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<div>I feel free!</div>
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Do. Forget. Do.http://adityajhunjhunwala.com/post/do-forget-do2017-10-27T16:47:01.152000Z2016-12-01T17:26:02ZAditya Jhunjhunwala<div>That’s my simple formula. Do something good. Forget about it. Again do something good. Ad infinitum.</div>
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<div>This is the shortest blog post I’ve written. A part of the reason is that I’m feeling super sleepy. Ha. Just kidding!</div>
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<div>But that’s the secret to living a happy life.</div>
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<div>Do something brilliant. Forget about it. Again do something brilliant.</div>
<div>Do help someone. Forget about it. Again do help someone.</div>
<div>Do learn something. Forget about it. Again do learn something.</div>
<div>Do meet your life partner. Forget about her. Again do meet them like its for the first time!</div>
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<div>Doing is fun. Forgetting keeps me humble. Doing again is fun again! </div>
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<div>Its keep the skies blue and the heart true.</div>
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